The First Christmas Truce
by ObsidianBlackCat
Summary: All ghosts hold the Christmas Truce. But where did it come from? When? A one-shot of how I imagine this tradition began.


The First Christmas Truce

**I'm using some real history in this one. I'm not going to say it's perfectly accurate, but know that the groups and names mentioned were real people.**

* * *

Long before the Fenton Portal made a relatively stable bridge between the Infinite Realms and the Material Plane, the inhabitants of the Ghost Zone were aware of what was happening on Earth. The ghosts weren't nearly as involved then, but they did take a look around whenever they found a natural portal to Earth. Their presence upset the humans, but as the years went on, humanity became much more exciting to watch and haunt. However, there were other, less invasive, ways to tell what was going on in the Material Plane.

Sometimes, hundreds of new ghosts would form in a matter of days. Sometimes thousands. Not all of them lasted, many faded soon after, but the Ghost Zone would find its population that much closer to infinity.

Of all the disasters on Earth, wars usually led to the longest lasting ghosts. The wisest philosophers of the Ghost Zone argued as to the reasons, but the soldiers knew why.

It took a desire to live and help, a human obsession to fight for people's lives and freedom, to get onto the battlefield.

This went on for thousands of years. Every so often, another multitude of new ghosts would form, and the more empathetic souls would shake their heads, knowing the humans had gotten themselves into another mess. Over the years, these ghosts of war formed their own camps and villages on the borders of the Time-Locked Lands. They kept their battles to themselves, occasionally attacking the soldiers of other wars, but mostly they fought those from their own era. Hate turned to Obsession fueled each war long after they ended on Earth. That is how it went on, until one day (as well as a day can be defined in the Ghost Zone) they paused.

It started with one group. They had been in the Ghost Zone for a few years, building barracks and fighting their undead enemies just like all the others. They looked a little different, many of them wore green and purple camouflage in death unlike the common bright uniform, but they acted exactly like all the soldiers before them. Then the day came, and one of the newer dead commanders, Officer Brown went to his comrades. He stood in the map room, looking at the calendar with the number 1918 written boldly on the top. The latest soldiers insisted that was the year.

"It's Christmas Eve, isn't it?" Officer Brown asked a lieutenant.

"That's what the scouts say."

"It's a shame. My men had a break that Christmas a few years back."

This got the attention of the other commanders. "A break, Brown?"

Brown shrugged. "It was Christmas."

The others snorted. One of them even barked a laugh. "Since when did the Axis powers care about Christmas?"

"The first year of the war."

They exchanged looks. The eldest of the group said, "I think you've gone funny in death, Brown."

"I swear to you, sir. We called a truce in the trenches that year. My men were out there playing soccer with the men they would shoot the next day. They even shared rations."

Another commander raised their eyebrow. "And when did the ponies come to give everyone a ride?"

"Believe me, I wouldn't have been able to imagine such a sight if I hadn't seen it myself. Ask any of my men. They'll remember."

Things were often slow for the commanders. Even after the discovery of their new ghostly abilities, their war didn't change much. Their men could fight for weeks with the same tactics until they perfected it. There was no real need to be better. There was no more fear of death, only fear of boredom. So the most dubious of the commanders went to Brown's men. They asked about this so-called 'Christmas Truce', and were amazed.

It really had happened. There had really been a game of soccer, friend against foe, and then friend playing alongside foe. Each soldier had brought out their rations, any they had saved, any they had just earned that day, and put it all together. Every soldier ate well that day. Every soldier had a friend that day. Every one of Brown's men remembered that day. Even when their memories of their domestic lives were fuzzy, that one memory always remained crisp.

Then, even as the commanders puzzled over this event, a knock came at their door.

"Sirs, we've got a prisoner! Pilot Manfred von Richthofen was captured at our border. He claims he has a message for Officer Brown."

Brown followed to their makeshift prison. A few of the other commanders followed curiously. The prison was a new addition. They had originally tried to make it out of materials taken from the Material Plane, but they could pass through those without even trying. It had taken a few months, but some of the warriors from previous periods taught them how to make ectoplasmic constructs. Now they could hold any enemy ghost, even if they practically let them escape after a while. Winning became tedious after a while.

"Richthofen," Brown greeted at the cell door. It almost looked metal. There was even a slot for food, though they had discovered early on that they had no need to eat. "How did the Ace of Aces fall so easily into our hands?"

Richthofen scoffed. "You know I only let myself be captured. I have spoken to our leading officers, and we have a proposition."

The eavesdropping commanders exchanged worried looks. What did they want with peace? Surely, they knew it would be the end of them all.

"Is that so? I don't suppose you are asking us to surrender again, hm?"

"Of course not. I asked for you in particular for a reason, Brown. Do you remember the Christmas Truce a few years back?"

A smile crept onto Brown's face. Not the sinister kind seen so often when a particularly nasty trick was thought of, but a genuinely happy smile. "I do."

And so the first Christmas Truce began in the Infinite Realms. It might have stayed in the small camps of the World War, but it just so happened that the Crusaders decided to pick a fight with them that day. Their plan had involved sneaking into advantageous positions while the two powers fought, but lo and behold there was dancing and laughing. Frozen by shock, they were quickly swept into the celebration.

Inspired by the sheer joy of the festivities, the Crusaders decided to spread the idea to the other Realms. Having spent the last few hundred years honing their knights' skills, the Crusaders went to every Time-Locked Land and beyond. Even in those places they could not travel, news of the jovial bearded men in red hats was heard, and other groups of ghosts went to spread the word to the more hazardous areas of the Zone.

Somehow, every single being in the Infinite Realms heard of the Christmas Truce that day. Even more astounding, every being listened, and every being agreed. And thus, all the ghosts participated in the first Christmas Truce, and have participated ever since.

* * *

Danny huffed, looking up from Clockwork's screen. "Okay, nice story, but you're you. You have to know how they got the message across to the entire Ghost Zone in one day. Did you help out? You probably froze time or lengthened it or something."

Clockwork smiled, shifting to his adult form. "An infinite amount of space cannot be travelled even in an infinite amount of time. Besides, humans have their own tradition that involves deliveries across the world in a single night."

"Yeah but that's . . . Santa's not real, is he?"

"You tell me."

Danny grimaced. "I'm not the best person to ask. My parents have given me plenty of evidence for both sides."

Clockwork's smile grew wider as he shifted to his child form. "Exactly. Now you should get going if you want to be home in time for Christmas dinner."

"In a minute. What do you mean, 'exactly'? Is Santa a paradox? Is he an idea, not a person? Please tell me!"

"Your parents have told you all there is to know. Besides, I have much work to do. Have a merry Christmas."

Danny pouted, but turned to where the entrance to Long Now probably was. He never liked to pull Clockwork away from his work. "Okay, merry Christmas, and have a happy New—hey!" His face lit up. "Do New Years work like in Rudolph's Shiny New Year where it's a baby with big ears and—"

"No, Daniel. Time is not a person." Clockwork chastised, but still with that smile.

"But you—"

"I am neither time or a person."

Danny pondered that for a minute. Clockwork glanced at his clocks.

"If you go home now, you should be just in time to greet Danielle."

"Dani's coming? That's great! Okay, merry Christmas, Clockwork! Bye!"

An elderly looking Clockwork watched Danny zoom away. "Merry Christmas, my dear Daniel."

* * *

**Fun Fact: Officer Brown and Richthofen were two real people in World War I. Richthofen is none other than the infamous Red Baron. If I remember correctly, Charles Brown was also a fighter pilot. He's also the inspiration for Snoopy's military abilities in the Peanuts cartoons.**

**Happy Holidays!**


End file.
